Cannabis education and young people - the Australian experience

For the past decade there has been an increasing interest in the apparent rising use of cannabis by young people

In Australia it would appear that this interest peaked a number of years ago - whereas with changing legislation in the UK, concern appears to be rising still

NB - this assumption (whether the legislation makes any difference) went unchallenged. Indeed, the effect of the law wasn't taken into consideration at all in this presentation

What do we know now about cannabis use by young people?
Are patterns of use changing?
How are we responding?

NB Various graphs were presented to provide an overview on cannabis use patterns and comparisons made between Australia and the UK. The two patterns were considered to be similar. Onset of tobacco use seems to be around 13 - 14 and tobacco use is less than the rate of cannabis use. The age of first use of tobacco is rising.

NDARD/DET cannabis survey

Designed to determine what young cannabis users believed to be important issues regarding drugs education in schools
Comprised qualitative and quantitative questions
It was not a representative sample - but it was conducted to ensure recruitment across the following criteria: Gender, age, frequency of cannabis use and area of residence

100 young people interviewed
57% male
average age 18
92% attending secondary schools

First used cannabis at 14 years (age range 7 - 17)

Main reason for first use - curiosity (71%)
"everyone was doing it" (19%)
peer pressure (18%)

Most common type of cannabis used - heads (55%)
leaf (28%)
"hydro" or "skunk" (18%)
hash (3%)

Usually smoked in a water pipe of bong (80%)
smoked on an average of 3 days (males 4 females 2)
34% had used cannabis in the past week

53% used when they were stressed, needed to relax or felt some kind of negative emotion
18% used when they felt happy
18% when they were bored
12% when partying or socialising

NB This claim was made and not challenged. It seems to imply cannabis is used to a large extent for escapism, which is unlikely given the nature of cannabis, it's not a good escapist drug...

Cannabis was most commonly used at parties or social occasions (47%)
In houses, usually of friends (46%)

Sources of information on the effects of cannabis and "believability" of the source

NB: This claimed teachers were the most respected source of information - perhaps showing cultural differences between Australia and the UK, perhaps showing something to do with the way the survey was conducted? However, this finding was used to justify the education program

What does all this mean?

Cannabis is the most popular drug amongst young people
Cannabis use appears to be very similar in Australia and the UK
Young people are starting to use cannabis at an earlier age and are smoking more of the drug, more frequently
Young people are using the stronger part of the drug and smoking in more dangerous ways, at an earlier age.

13 years old appears to be the age where many begin their cannabis use (same age as tobacco initiation)

In Australia, tobacco education is based mainly in primary school ad stops in the second year of high school (around 13 - 14)
Cannabis education starts at the age of 15
Teachers are often used as a source of cannabis information and are deemed credible by young cannabis users

For many years Australian schools had not been resourced adequately to educate students about cannabis
In 1996 in response to rising cannabis use "candidly cannabis" was written and distributed to schools across the country
Current research findings regarding cannabis
Information about cannabis
A framework for educating about cannabis
Referral contacts